Automatic night sighting device for firearms



luly 6, 1937. WfBAxTER ET AL AUTOMATIC NIGHT SIGHTING DEVICE FOR FIREARMS Filed Sept. 21, 1934 3 W W w M 4@ Q W W d n# :VW a M Patented] July 6, i937 ATT Fi UTIVA'JIHC NIGHT SIGHTING DEWCE FR FHRERMS Warner Baxter, Bel Air, and Albert E. Scott,

Hollywood, lLos Angeles, Calif.; said Baxter aS- sgnor to said Scott Application September 2l, 1934, Serial No. 7414,92@

92 Claims.

This invention relates to firearms, and the general object of the invention is to provide a rearm with simple means for automatically sighting the same in the dark. We are aware 5 that attachments have been employed in connection with rearms for casting a beam of light in the nature of a spotlight to illuminate the target or figure at which the ilrearm is to be pointed; but the objection to the use of such a i spotlight by an oiiicer in the dark, is that the light is plainly visible to the criminal, and he can readily see the source of the light, therebyV endangering the oiiicer carrying the spotlight on his firearm or pistol.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide means for casting .a beam of light along a line substantially coinciding with the axis of the barrel of the firearm, but having a cross section which is relatively minute, so that the beam is hardly visible from a lateral position, and so that the actual light cast on the target or body of the criminal is relatively small and inconspicuous, and yet at the same time, indicating clearly to the omcer carrying the firearm, the path that will be taken by the bullet discharged from his rearm.

A further object of the invention is to provideL means -for this purpose, which can readily be constructed as an attachment to be secured when needed, to the iirearm, with which it is to be used; also to provide a constructionv for the firearm, which will enable an electric circuit for casting the beam, tb be automatically closed when the handle of the nrearm is-grasped.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction for a device of this kind, which will be particularly useful for a night watchman, and which can be snapped into place on the firearm or pistol on short notice, and Without necessitating the making of any electrical connections except such as are made automatically by attaching the device to the. pistol barrel.

When a rearm of relatively large bore is discharged, there is a considerable recoil developed, and such a recoil might be the means of breaking the lament of the lamp which We employ For casting the point of light.

One of the objects of the invention is to proride means for supporting the electric light in nich a way as to substantially prevent the breakng of the lamp filament from this means.

Further objects of the invention will appear' lereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel parts and olnbination of partsvto be described hereinafter,

(Cl. 2MP-6.1i)

all of which contribute to produce an eiiicient automatic sighting device for rearms.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is described in the following specication, while the broad scope of the invention is pointed out in the 5 appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a perspective illustrating a new regulation military and police pistol to which our invention has been applied, and representing the l manner in which the point of light cast by the attachment facilitates the alignment of the pistol on the target.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a pistol provided with our invention, and in which the circuit l through the electric lamp is closed automatically by the act of grasping the handle of the pistol.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view indicating the electric circuit which is closed through thebattery and lamp of the pistol illustrated in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a plan of the pistol illustrated in 20 Fig. 2, but illustrating a modicatlon.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the circuit which is established automatically when the device is attached to the pistol barrel, and is particularly related to Fig. 10, which will be described hereinafter. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section on the line 6 5 of Fig. 4 upon an enlarged scale, and passing through the lamp casing and illustrating` the means for mounting the lamp, and for casting a point of light on any object on which the pistol barrel is aligned.

Fig. 7 is a vertical section taken on the line l-l' of Fig. 4, upon an enlarged scale passing through the battery housing. This View illustrates the battery cells and the means for connecting the live terminal of the battery to the exterior of the battery housing.

Fig. 8 is a vertical section on the line 8 8 of 40 Fig. 4, upon an enlarged scale and particularly illustrating the mechanical construction of the saddle that carries the lamp casing and the battery housing, and also illustrating the manner in which the saddle cooperates with the sight, 45 and means carried by the saddle for yieldingly holding the same on the pistol barrel.

Fig. 9 is a cross section similar to Fig. 8, but taken on the line 9 9 of Fig. 4, and particularly illustrating means which is associated with hthe battery connection illustrated in Fig. 7, for carrying an insulated conductor across the barrel of the pistol to eifect connection with the electric lamp.

Fig. 10 is a vertical section on the line lll-l0 55 CTI nently secured in the socket.

of Fig. 4, and particularly illustrating the automatic switch which is closed by the act of attaching the device to the gun barrel for closing and maintaining the electric circuit through the electric lamp.

Fig. 11 is a cross section on the line iI-II of Fig. 6, and illustrating the preferred form of light stop which is employed to indicate the path of the bullet, without making any substantial illumination of the spot where the bullet will strike.

Referring more particularly to the parts, and especially to Fig. 1, I indicates! a firearm such as a pistol, with which our improvement is embodied, and in this view 2 indicates a target, the center of which is illuminated by a point 3 of light of relatively small dimensions, yand which is preferably in the form of a small cross.

In Fig. 2, we illustrate an embodiment of the invention in which the circuit through the electric lamp is closed when the handle 4 of the rearm such as a pistol 5, is grasped. In this embodiment of vthe invention, the circuit through the electric lamp is normally open, but as soon as the handle 4 is grasped as in firing 'the pistol, the lighted point 3 will appear.

In case it is desired to have the lamp circuit maintained closed while the attachment is on the pistol, Athis can be accomplishedby means that will be described hereinafter, in which case there will be no switch on the handle of the pistol.

While the invention may be incorporated in a rearm or pistol as a permanent part of the same, We prefer to construct it as an attachment or device which can be readily attached to the barrel Ii of the pistol. In doing this, we prefer to make the attachment at the sight 1, and construct the device in the form of a saddle 8, which may be cast as a metal block with a socket preferably in the form of a slot 9 to receive the sight from below, when the device is put in place. Thissocket fits to the sight so as to prevent longitudinal movement of the saddle on the barrel. The under side of the saddle 8 'is formed with a channel I0, (see Fig. 8), that fits down over the upper side of the barrel, and at one side this channel is provided with a recessed spring II, which enables the device to be snapped into place. This spring, of course, yieldingly holds the device on the pistol barrel, and enables it to be removed readily ,when desired, by merely pulling the saddle up off of the barrel.

On one side of the saddle 8, a half-round socket I2 is formed to receive a lamp casing I3 preferably of tubular form, which may be perma- The lamp casing is illustrated more in detail in Fig. 6. Near its rear end and preferably on its under side, it is provided with a neck I4 having an opening through which an electric lamp" I5 may be inserted. This lamp is preferably supported in such a way that the shock from the discharge of the firearm, will be absorbed somewhat, so as to relieve the lament I6- of the lamp of a considerable amount of the shock. For this purpose we p'z-efer to employ a plug I1 of soft rubber, which may be screwed into thev neck I4. The inner end of this plug I1 carries a threaded shell I8, which operates as a lamp` socket for the lamp, and' which is in metallic connection with the threaded baseof the lamp which screws into it. This metallic shell or socket I8, is connected with a terminal I9, and a second terminal 28 is provided that is connected to a central contact 2l to engage the central terminal 22 of the lamp.

The rear end of the lamp casing is provided with a reector 23, and the forward end of the casing is provided with lens means preferably in the form of a lens 24, which is mounted in an adjustable sleeve 25 for focusing purposes.

Between the lament I6 and the lens 24, we provide a light stop 26. which is preferably formed of a disc of opaque material, and formed at its center with two very narrow intersecting slots or slits 21. These slits should be very narroW, so that the small cross 3 will not be capable of radiating a great amount of light, while at the same time, giving sulcient illumination to enable the small cross to be readily seen from the position of the man carrying the iirearm. y

Between the filament IWB and the light stop 26, condensing lenses 28 are provided. In order to assist in mounting the reflector 23, the light stop 26 and the lenses 28 in position, we prefer to provide liner -sections 29 within the lamp casing, substantially as illustrated in Fig. 6.

Any suitable means may be provided for establishing a controlled circuit through the lamp. In

`,the present instance the opposite side of the saddle 8 is provided with a half-round socket 39 (see Fig. 8), in which the battery housing 3| is permanently secured, said battery housing preferably consisting of a metal tube with an insulating liner 32. At the rear end of the battery housing we provide a contact 33 for one end of the battery, which battery may include two aligned cells 34 and 35 connected up end to end so that the current fiows through these cells in series. The insulated contact 33 extends along the inside of the battery housing to a point near the middle of the housing, and at this point this contact is connected through an opening 36 in the wall of the housing to a terminal 31, and at this point the saddle 8 is provided with a recess 38 connecting with a conduit 39 that extends across through the saddle above the position of the barrel 6 (see Fig. 9), and on the other side a recess is formed at the point 40 communicating with the conduit 39. This enables an insulated conductor 4I to be passed through the conduit 39, connected to the terminal 31 and extended dovsm and connected to the lamp terminal 20 (see Fig. 2). The forward battery cell 34 is backed up by a 'coil spring 41,2, which grounds this side of the battery through the metal head 43 that is attached as a screw 'cap on the forward end of the battery housing.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 2, an insulated conductor 44 extends back from the lamp terminal I9, being carried along the frame of the pistol and under the trigger guard 45, so that the rear end of this conductor terminates in a contact point 46 which is located near the metal frame 41 of the pistol butt. In other words, the rear end of the insulated conductor 44 consists of a recess spring 48 carrying the contact 46, and normally held by its own resiliency so that the contact 46 does not touch the metal frame 41. The spring 48 is preferably received in a shell or groove 49 formed in the forward face of the handle or grip of the pistol, and the forward side of the spring is preferably provided with an insulating face plate 50. With this arrangement of the parts it will be evident that Whenever the contact 46 touches the metal frame 41, the circuit will be closed through the lamp.

.This circuit is Fig. 3.

Some users of the invention may prefer to have the deviceoperate so that as soon as it is attached to the barrel t, the circuit through the lamp will be closed and maintained closed until the device is removed from the pistol barrel. This mode oi operation seems to be more suitable for the use of a watchman or an omcer who must go to investigate a noise or other irregular conditions. For this purpose the device is constructed so that when it is snapped onto the barrel, a switch automatically affected by making the attachment, closes the circuit through the battery and lamp. lll'his circuit may also be a grounded circuit,` and is illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 5, which should he read in connection with Fig. l0. The circuit arrangement is substantially the same as illustrated in Fig. 3, except that the lamp terminal tta is connected to an insulated conductor its that extends upwardly on the inner side ci the lamp casing ita, where it is attached to an insulated spring contact tta. This contact Illia tends by its resiliency, to assume the position in which it is indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. l0, but when it is engaged by the barrel d of the pistol, the barrel shoves the contact over againstthelamp casing 03a. Cif course, a ground is established as soon as the contact 38a touches the barrel, but by having it is contact with the barrel and also in contact with the casing i3d, a good ground is assured.

The liner sections 29 are preferably formed of bright metal, polished or silvered on the inside. This greatly increases the illumination coming from the lamp filament it. By adjusting the focusing lens 2li, the device may be adapted for throwing the light point Si at any distance desired, icr example, fifty feet from the pistol.

l'n practice, it is preferable to have the beam that forms the light cross substantially parallel with the extended axis of the `barrel.

`@ne of the advantages of our improvement is that it is not necessary to sight the i'lrearm in the regular way, for it will be evident that even if the gun barrelv is not in alignment with the eye ci the person holding it, if the illuminated cross is on the target, it is merely necessary to pull the trigger in order to have the bullet iind its marit at, or alongside the intersection points of the lighted lines which form the cross.

Another advantage of the construction for the lamp casing, is that the beam of light as it (emerges through the forward lens, is so condensed in cross section that it does not illuminate the intcrior of the movable sleeve that carries this lens, and for this reason it is not possible for a person at a distance from the nrearm, to see any illuminated point on the firearm unless his eye is exactly in line with the iight beam. In other words, the position of an oiicer carrying a pistol equipped with this improvement, could not he indicated to an escaping criminal pursued by the omcer in the dark, unless the omcerv held the pistol in position to cast the lighted point directly into the eye of the criminal. Hence, if the point of light were cast on the criminals breast, he might observe it, but would not know from what direction the lighted point was heing projected.-

We claim: l. lin automatic sighting means for sighting I a nrearm having a barrel and a sight projecting upwardly at the forward end of the barrel, a saddle having a socket for receiving, and iitting to, the sight so that the sight preventslonindicated diagrammatically in E gitudinal movement of the saddle in either direction, said saddle having means for securing the same to the barrel, an elongated casing carried by the saddle at the side of the barrel with means therein for casting a light on an object in alignment with the barrel.

2. In automatic sighting means for sighting a firearm having a barrel and a sig t projecting upwardly at the forward end of the barrel, a saddle having a slot closed at its ends for receiving and tting to the sight so as to prevent longitudinal movement of the saddle on the barrel and having means for securing the same to the barrel, an elongated casing carried by the saddle at the side of the barrel, and means ior casting an illuminated cross from theV casing onto an object in alignment with the barrel.

3. In automatic sighting means for sighting a firearm having a barrel. and a sight projecting upwardly at the forward end of the barrel, a saddle having a socket for receiving the sight and fitting to the sight so as to prevent longitudinal movement of the saddle on the barrel, said saddle having means for securing the same at the under side of the barrel, an elongated casing carried by the saddle at the side of the barrel, and substantially parallel with the barrel, an electric light mounted at the rear of the casing, and means cooperating with the light for projectinga ray of light from the casing and substantially parallel with the barrel.

4. .in automatic sighting means for sighting 'a rearm having a barrel and a sight projecting upwardly at the forward end of the barrel, a saddle to rest on the upper side of the barrel, and having a socket for receiving the sight and iitting to the sight, said saddle having means for securing the same to the barrel, an elongated casing carried by the saddle at the side of the barrel, an electric lamp mounted in the casing, an elongated battery housing carried by e saddle on the opposite side of the barrel from the casing, a source of electric current mounted in the said housing, a switch, an electric circuit closed by the said switch and connecting the electric lamp and the said battery to light the lamp, and means for casting a beam of light from the said casing.

5. In automatic sighting means for sighting a irearm having a barrel and a sight projecting upwardly at the forward end of the barrel, a saddie having a slot for receiving the sight and having means for securing the same to the barrel, en elongated casing carried by the saddle at the Side of the barrel, an electric lamp mounted in the casing, an elongated battery housing carried by the saddle on the opposite side of the barrel from the casing and balancing the same, a source of electric current mounted in the said housing, a switch, an electric circuit closed by the said switch and connecting the electric lamp andy the said battery to light the lamp, means for casting a beam of light from the casing substantially parallel with the barrel, and means on the handle of the rearm for closing the said switch.

6. In automatic sighting means for sighting a firearm having a barrel and a sight projecting upwardly at the forward end of the barrel, a saddle having a channel on its under side to receive the said barrel, and having a socket for receiving, and fitting to, the sight, said saddle having means for securing the same to the barrel, an elongated casing carried by the saddle at the side of the barrel, an electric lamp mounted in the casing, a source of electric current, a switch, an electric circuit closed by the said switch and connecting the electric lamp with the source of current, means for casting a beam of light from the casing substantially parallel with the barrel, and means for automatically closing the said switch when the saddle is applied to the barrel.

7. in automatic sighting means for sighting a firearm having a barrel and a sight projecting upwardly at the forward end of the barrel, a saddle having a' channel on its under side to receive the said barrel, said saddle having a socket for receiving, and fitting to, the sight, and also having means for securing the saddle to the barrel, an elongated casing carried by the saddle at the side of the barrel, said casing having an opening in the side thereof toward the rear, an electric lamp, means mounted in the said opening for yieldingly supporting the lamp, an elongated battery housing carried by the saddle on the opposite side of the barrel from the casing, an electric battery carried in the said housing, an electric circuit including a conductor connecting the electric lamp with the battery and extending across the upper side of the barrel, said electric circuit passing through the said electric lamp and including a switch for closing the same, and moans for casting a beam o light rays from the casing and substantially parallel with the barrel.

S. in automatic sighting means for sighting a iirearm having a barrel and a sight projecting upwardly at the forward end of the barrel, a saddle with a channel on its under side to receive the said barrel, said saddle having a socket for receiving, and fitting to, the sight, and having means tor securing the saddle to the bar rel, an elongated casing carried by the saddle at the side oi the barrel, said casing having an opening in the side thereof toward the rear, an

electric lamp, means mounted in the said openaoeavea ing for yieldingly supporting the lamp, an elongated battery housing carried by the ,saddle on the opposite side of the barrel from the casing, an electric battery carried in the said housing, said saddle having a transverse conduit for an electric conductor passing through the same above the barrel, an insulated electric conductor connected with one of the lamp terminalse'passing through the said conduit and connected to the battery, a switch for closing an electric circuit through the battery, the lamp, and the said insulated conductor, and means for casting a beam of light from the casing and substantially parallel with the barrel.

9. In automatic sighting means for sighting a firearm having a barrel upwardly at the forward end of the barrel, a saddle having a slot for receiving the sight and ha'ving means for securing the same to the barrel, an elongated casing carried by the saddle at the side of the barrel, said casing having an opening in the side thereof toward the rear, an electric lamp, means mounted in the said opening for yieldingly supporting the lamp, an elongated battery housing carried by the saddle on the opposite side of the barrel from the casing, an electric battery carried in the said housing, said saddle having a transverse conduit for an electric conductor passing through the same above the barrel, an insulated electric conductor connected with one of the lamp terminals, passing through the said conduit and connected to the battery, an insulated conductor connected to the other lamp terminal and passing to the handle of the rearm, a ground connection for the battery passing to the metal frame of the firearm, and a yielding switch connected with the rear end of the second named insulated conductor for closing the circuit through the lamp when the handle of the firearm is grasped.

WARNER BAXTER.

ERT Bf. SCOTT?.

and a sight projecting 

